1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to an imaging system with computer-controlled, multiple electronic image acquisition and assembly means for producing a high resolution, large-field electronic mosaic image from a series of smaller field image segments.
2. Background
In the field of microscopy, a microscopist must select an objective lens that affords sufficient spatial resolution and photometric sensitivity to analyze a specimen. Having selected an objective, in many cases, the resulting microscopic field of view covers only a small region of the specimen. Consequently, in order to examine the entire specimen, it is necessary to move the microscope stage in a plurality of steps. A single view of the entire specimen, however, is necessary both for contextual appreciation and for communicating the results of the analysis. The classical solution to this problem has been to prepare photomicrographs of the fields of view containing the specimen and to assemble a montage or mosaic of the photomicrographs to present a view of the whole specimen. This procedure suffers from several disadvantages: it is both tedious and time-consuming and results in a final product that is either too large or has insufficient magnification.
In current practice one often needs to acquire a video image of a microscopically-viewed specimen. Microscope video systems, by appropriate interfacing with computer-based hardware and software, permit the video image to be digitized and stored. Further operations, such as image processing and analysis, can then be performed on the digitized image. The present art, however, is unable to process more than a single digitized microscope field of view at a time, which creates difficulties in analysis and display of the complete specimen. In addition, in cases where the microscopic specimen is only briefly visible, as in the case where rapidly-fading fluorescent tags are used, rapid, multiple-field acquisition is a necessity. Solutions to these problems have not previously been available.
The present invention provides a means for the sequential capture and storage in a very large image memory of multiple digitized and frame-averaged small field image segments from adjacent fields of view. In addition, the invention provides means for matching the edges of the adjacent segments into a continuous field. Means are also provided for storage of the electronic mosaic image, and for real-time manipulation of the entire mosaic by the operator. The resulting composite digitized mosaic image simultaneously offers high resolution, high photometric sensitivity, and a wide field of view, while providing the advantages of electronic digital processing and analysis.